KY Nominations

If this is a previous thread I apologize. I am trying to understand all he info I am reading and it is a bit overwhelming. I know that in KY you can only get one nomination and that you compete with others for spots. It is also my understanding that each MOC can only have so many appointees in a service academy at one time. Am I correct so far? So being from KY what are a candidates chances of getting an Appointment?

Not necessarily true. This year Sen. Paul and Sen. McConnell's offices did coordinate with the other MOC offices in an effort to maximize the number of nominees. However, it is possible to get both a Presidential and MOC nomination. Presidential nominees are available for children of retired or AD military. Also last year DS received a nomination from both Sen. Bunning and Congressman Yarmuth. There are also ROTC nominations in you are in a JROTC or ROTC unit. Lastly, make sure you apply for the Vice Presidential nomination which is online and requires very little effort. But the VP can also have 5 cadets at a time at each SA.

Sen. Paul, Sen. McConnell and Congressman Yarmuth (KY-2) use the competitive nomination process where they just submit 10 nominees and let the SA select the appointee. Other MOC's may use the principal nominee process where the MOC dictates the top nominee who must receive the appointment if qualified. All qualified nominees without appointments then go into the national pool to compete nationally for an appointment.

It is also my understanding that each MOC can only have so many appointees in a service academy at one time.

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Correct. Each MOC can have 5 cadets at each SA at one time (except USCGA which does not use the nomination process). Last year, Congressman Yarmuth had two open slots and therefore could submit two slates of 10 nominees. This year in GA, a candidate received two nominations from the same MOC. One from each of two slates. Check with the SA coordinated for your MOCs. DS found them to be very helpful.

Also feel free to PM me with any questions. We have gone through the nomination process in Kentucky two years in a row and would be glad to share with you . . .

Just to tack on to OP's question, can one MOC nominate someone to multiple academies? In other words, if I apply to my representative and make it known that I'm interested in all academies, is it possible to be nominated to multiple academies instead of just one?

Also, just for clarification, do principle nominees HAVE to be accepted? I know the principle nominee from my district (nominated to USMA) but he couldn't do a single pull-up on his CFA. What does this mean for him?

Yes, a MOC can nominate a candidate to multiple SAs. Most MOCs will ask you to rank your SA preference on their application in an effort to nominate you to your first choice. However, last year DS received a nomination from Congressman Yarmuth for both USAFA and USMA. He then decided to focus on USAFA, so he declined the nomination to USMA so that it could go to someone else. Keep in mind that Kentucky is not super competitive like VA or CA. I believe that Yarmuth did not fill all his nomination slates for every SA. But at the Senatorial level, even Kentucky had over 50 applicants for the 10 nomination slots for each Senator. More competitive states have hundreds of nominees for each Senatorial slate of 10.

It is my understanding that by law a QUALIFIED principal nominee must be offered an appointment. Qualified means they are academically, medically, and physically qualified. But I would be concerned if I was a male candidate that is unable to do a single pull up. I am not sure that meets the minimum physical qualifications.

I've heard it said that the CFA is not a pass/fail exam. Of course, that's doubtful when one looks at how it's used but still...

I wish him the best of luck, but I don't see why he'd get accepted, principle nomination or not, if he can't do at least one pull up. I know the Army has a requirement of at least one for enlistment; perhaps that alone disqualifies him?